


Attention

by ThunderClatter



Category: The Bronze (2015)
Genre: Angst, But a sexy one, F/M, Lance being an asshole, One Shot, Pining, Swearing, language warning, not too bad though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2019-01-19 04:28:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12403059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThunderClatter/pseuds/ThunderClatter
Summary: You meet your ex at a party. And you know he’s been dying to get your attention for weeks. You’re not entirely sure if he just wants to get a rise out of you or what else he could be after but tonight you’re finally giving in to finding out.





	Attention

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the song "Attention" by Charlie Puth, some lyrics included.

“Lance Tucker is not staring at you, my ass.”  
“Why the fuck can’t you just drop it?”  
“You sure you have nothing you wanna tell me?”  
You turned your head sharply to look at your friend who was returning your gaze with a cocked eyebrow. “Only that you’re really annoying but I’m pretty sure I told you that already countless times.”  
She chuckled. “Yeah. You did. But you love me anyway.” Smiling goofily at you she took a sip of the drink in her hand and you shook your head lightly, fighting a grin before raising your own drink to your lips. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.” She stuck her tongue out at you.  
You laughed and soon enough she chimed in. That was the only good thing about those parties - you got to spend time with your old gymnast friends again - especially Laura. She was the main reason you decided to come here despite your worries - other than your protégé Jordan, of course. It was more her party than yours after all. But she insisted that you came along - and you did, even though you knew this would happen. Part of you probably wanted this to happen. So you could finally confront Lance ‘The Fucker’ Tucker about all the bullshit he threw your way the past weeks. Although that was exactly what he seemed to want and this fact just made you all the more stubborn not to give it to him.  
“Oh great, now you’re staring at him, too.” You gave Laura your best squinty eyes.  
“Am not.” And with that extraordinarily mature and witty retort you decided that you definitely needed another drink and stood up from the little booth you and your friend had found shelter in from the booming rhythms of the music and all the dancing bodies threatening to crush you.  
“Where are you going?”, Laura called. You turned to look at her and tilted your head.  
“I’m pretty sure I’m not drunk enough for this conversation.” She grinned and rose from her seat as well.  
“Count me in.”  
Fearing you might lose each other in the crowded club you grabbed Laura’s hand and dove head first into the sea of people, carefully making your way over to the bar. You couldn’t resist looking around a little bit - most of the people you didn’t know but you didn’t care about them, you were just looking for an excuse to search for one familiar face. And of course you had little trouble finding it. To your annoyance his eyes were trained on you as well. Laura had been right. Trying to ignore the mixed feelings bubbling up inside you, you raised your eyebrows at him. But your challenging look didn’t seem to faze him at all, on the contrary, he had the nerve to grin cockily at you. You weren’t quite sure if it was the lighting or just you but you thought he looked downright devious.  
Rolling your eyes, you shook your head and followed Laura towards the counter of the bar.  
“So... you finally wanna tell me what really went down with you and Tucker?”, Laura asked while the two of you waited for your drinks. You sighed and gave her a look but she just stared back at you unimpressed.  
“Come on, you can’t tell me you two just peacefully bid each other farewell with the way he’s been running around throwing dirt on your name the past couple of weeks.”  
“I never said we did,” you retorted. Now it was Laura’s turn to roll her eyes.  
“Yeah, and that’s exactly the problem: you didn’t tell me anything! Come on now, spill!”  
Taking a deep breath, you crossed your arms and looked down. The reason you hadn’t told Laura anything about how Lance and you broke up was the same why you hadn’t told anyone: it hurt and seeing him here had you realizing that it still did. The end of your relationship hadn’t been too pretty. It had made you question if there ever had been something akin to a “relationship” between you and Lance at all. Maybe you had been foolish for even trying to make a relationship with Lance ‘The Fucker’ Tucker work, everyone knew he didn’t do that. But you just had to try because- because you had been in love with him. That was probably your greatest mistake.  
“There’s not that much to tell: we thought we had something but it turned out we didn’t.”  
Laura narrowed her eyes at you and you shrugged.  
“We just weren’t cut out for each other. I probably was too jealous and he wasn’t committed enough. As it was to be expected.”, you tried to downplay the painful end of whatever Lance and you had thought you had. But it didn’t make it hurt any less.  
Laura’s expression softened as she touched your arm gently. “I’m sorry.”  
You sighed and nodded. “Yeah, yeah.”  
Right one cue the bartender handed you your drinks and you took a sip rather quickly, relieved to do something else than talking about Lance. But of course Laura wouldn’t drop the topic. Not when she finally had gotten you to talk.  
“So who initiated the break-up?”  
“I did,” you answered, defeated. Her eyebrows shot up.  
“Seriously? You broke up with Lance ‘The Fucker’ Tucker?” She let out an incredulous laugh. “Wow, you must have been the first woman to ever do that.” You grimaced at her.  
“Sorry, sorry, shouldn’t have laughed.” She seemed to collect herself again before briefly looking around. “But you know, knowing that kind of explains his behaviour.”  
“Excuse me?”  
She waved your input aside. “Talking badly about you? Staring at you all night? You know he’s been going ‘round every party cause he was hoping you’d be at one, right? That guy’s probably still hung up on you.”  
You stared at her disbelievingly. “Are you serious? Lance Tucker broken up over a woman, not to say me? Sure thing, honey.”  
Laura just shrugged. “How would you explain his behaviour?”  
“He just wants attention.”  
Suddenly Laura jumped and waved her finger in your face. “Ha! You didn’t deny what he’s doing!”  
Annoyed that she caught you, you shook your head . “So what?”  
“So you realize he still wants something from you!”  
“Yeah, so? He just wants attention, not my heart, so you can stop trying to play Dr. Phil over here.”  
Laura made a face and decided to pout while taking a gulp of her drink.  
Sighing again, you did the same. You really were conflicted enough about the whole Lance matter without Laura trying to decipher your and his every move. Besides, you had actually hoped to enjoy this evening with her and now it seemingly had turned into a therapy session about a topic you really didn’t want to discuss. Or think about. Ever again.  
“He’s staring at you again.”  
You let out an frustrated huff and decided to look for yourself this time only to see him talking with another woman, or rather girl.  
“Ha! Made you look,” Laura said, seemingly content with herself.  
“Oh, fuck off.” Laura’s satisfied smile stayed on her lips.  
You grit your teeth before downing your drink and putting your empty glass on the counter with an audible bang. But the alcohol hadn’t the desired effect of letting you forget your stupid ex or your backstabbing friend but instead just letting your self control disappear. So you couldn’t stop yourself from taking a closer look at Lance and the damn girl he was talking to.  
“Wait, is that Jordan he’s talking to?!”, you suddenly blurted out when you recognized her face.  
“Huh?” Laura looked up uninterested.  
“The girl Tucker’s talking to! Isn’t that Jordan?”, you repeated agitatedly and pointed in their direction. Laura followed your finger and raised her eyebrows. “Yeah, I think that’s her. What’s she doing speaking with him?”  
“Fuck if I know.”  
But actually you had a pretty good idea to why Lance Tucker was talking to your protégé of all things all of a sudden - and it was enough to make your blood boil just like every time he had tried to get a rise out of you in the last few weeks after your break up. Be it publicly smashing your former relationship to pieces or just blatantly bitching about you - you knew he would have done just about anything to make you furious. And though he had succeeded in doing so you had always held yourself back from reacting to it, determined to not give him what he wanted. But now you saw him talking and laughing with Jordan and you could just about imagine all the stupid jokes he would make about you in front of her - and she would laugh. Because it was Lance Tucker she was talking to.  
“Fuck this,” you growled, leaving Laura to her own devices and elbowing your way through the dancing crowd until you had reached the two cackling assholes.  
“Heey Veronika! We were just-“, Jordan called with slightly slurred words already and you rolled your eyes before taking a half-full glass out of her hand.  
“Hey Jordan, no more alcohol for you tonight, yeah?”, you said sternly, hoping to avoid the annoyed undertone in your voice.  
She pouted. “Aw, come on, coach! I barely-“ “I think Laura wanted to talk to you over there. You wanna go see her?”, you cut her off and ushered her towards Laura who was still leaning against the bar and watching your rampage with an amused smile.  
“Fine but-“ “Later, Jordan,” you sent her off and took a deep breath, preparing yourself to finally turn around and face your odious ex. As to be expected, he was watching you with a obnoxiously smug grin.  
For the first time this evening you truly looked at him - and almost regretted it. His hair was perfectly done as always, his eyes glinting mischievously in the dim light of the club and of course he was smoothly shaved - as always. He even wore a shirt you recognized, you had even told him it was your favourite- hold up, you thought. He was doing this on purpose, wasn’t he.  
You looked him over again and now, standing so close to him because of the other people around you, you even recognized his aftershave. It was the one you had got him. Back then, you had thought it smelled amazing and that it’d suit Lance really well, but now you just thought it smelled of regret.  
“Well, somebody’s eager to get me alone,” he finally said, that disgusting grin still on his lips. You could tell by the satisfied expression on his face that he knew exactly he had won as you two finally stood face to face after weeks of silence.  
You snarled. “Sure, fuckface.” He slapped a hand over his chest and looked at you mockingly offended. “That hurts, you know.”  
You had to hold yourself back from spitting in his face. “You knew I would call you up sooner or later for all that bullshit you pulled recently, right?”  
Lance just cocked an eyebrow, looking unimpressed. “What is it that I’ve done now?”  
“You know exactly what I’m talking about, asshole, you talking shit about me was all over the press!”  
“What, too honest for you?”  
You huffed out a disbelieving laugh and shook your head. This man still drove you fucking nuts.  
“Your idea of honesty is a fucking joke, Tucker, just like everything else you have left of morals,” you retorted, trying to remain calm and not bodyslam him like you really wanted.  
“Oh thank you for your impartial opinion, Miss Perfect, really appreciate it,” he mocked and that was the final straw for you.  
“Oh fuck you,” you uttered before turning around and making a beeline for the exit. No amount of alcohol or anything could get you through this.  
“Leaving me again? You hurt my feelings, Veronika!” you heard Lance call tauntingly after you. One person cried out in pain as you used your elbows to get to the exit as fast as you could.  
Finally out of the cramped hell they called a party, you took several deep breaths to try and regain you composure. This man had always known just how to push your buttons and you hated him for it. That was probably one of the reasons you broke up in the first place.  
But fuck, this party was the worst idea ever. You wanted nothing more but to go home and hole yourself up into a ball in your bed. You felt the tears stinging in your eyes now, but you’ll be damned if you cried out here in the open. Especially not because of this motherfucker. Not again, anyway.  
You had never cried so hard about a break up as with Lance. You still didn’t know why - it had neither been the longest or even the most loving relationship you had ever had. But maybe it had been the one you had hoped for most to work out. But of course, it didn’t. In the end, it hadn’t been just Lance’s fault, even though you would like to blame it all on him. Yes, he had not been committed enough and yes, he maybe should have cared more but maybe you shouldn’t have hovered over him that much. Maybe you should have trusted him more. Maybe. Maybe you could have made it work if you had just tried a little harder. Or maybe you two just weren’t good for each other.  
If, maybe, when - damn it all to hell. It was over, that’s what it was. And judging by his behaviour, Lance didn’t care too much about your feelings anymore anyway.  
Suddenly the door creaked and another figure stepped out into the gloomy backyard. You prayed the whole two seconds it took for the person to walk into the light that it wasn’t him - but it was.  
You sighed defeatedly. Somehow your fury had vanished, leaving a strange calm behind. You almost felt a little empty. Empty of emotions.  
“What do you want, Tucker? I’m really not in the mood to punch your pretty face off tonight,” you said, looking up at the sky. You heard a low chuckle and felt his warmth soon after as he leaned against the cold brick wall of the club next to you.  
“Charming,” he commented. Then he was silent for a bit which surprised you a little. Where was the aggressive Lance from minutes ago? But hell, you were more than fine with it. Maybe, just maybe, you weren’t the only one tired of fighting.  
But as the two of you stood next to each other silently, you smelled his aftershave again. Memories started to invade your mind; memories of better days. Watching Lance shave in the morning and his cocky grin in the mirror when he spotted you staring at him, warm hugs and waking up in his embrace. Fuck.  
“You got what you wanted, you know,” you spoke finally without looking at him.  
“And what’s that?”  
“The shirt, the aftershave? My aftershave? You got me thinking about when you were mine. Or I thought you were.”  
He chuckled again, humourless this time. “Poetic.” After a short pause, he continued. “Why would you think that’s what I wanted? It’s just a good aftershave. And shirt.”  
You scoffed. “Whatever you say.”  
Again, there was a short silence.  
“I just wanted to talk to you. Somehow,” he admitted and you finally turned to look at him. He was closer than you had thought but he was not looking at you. Fortunately.  
“And you thought the best way to do that is to talk shit about me in public? Nice going.”  
He flashed you a lopsided grin. “It worked, didn’t it?”  
“Fuck you too, Tucker.”  
He laughed. And suddenly you laughed too. The whole situation was completely absurd but somehow you also found it to be quite freeing. Laughing with your ex had to be a step into the right direction, right?  
When your laughter subsided you turned to look at him again, and this time he was looking right back at you. Now you were painfully aware that your faces were only inches apart. Much too close for your liking. Because it only drew you closer to him again. His eyes fixed on yours didn’t help. At all. God, his eyes-  
“You’re just really making sure I’m never getting over you, aren’t you?” you murmured, losing all composure. You watched him intently as Lance bit his lip with a slight smile. Fuck, he bit his lip.  
“Or maybe you just hate the thought of me with someone new,” you added in a little raspier tone than before just to do something else than stare at his lips. His smile grew.  
“Yeah, sure,” he said but you weren’t sure if he had even listened to what you just said. He glanced down to your lips before slowly pushing himself off the wall and stepping in front of you, caging you between the wall and him. You made no move to stop him and still he smiled. It wasn’t one of his cocky smiles or one that you would like punch from his lips - no, it was rather... seductive.  
“That’s what I thought,” you choked out, a last attempt to diffuse the tension between you. But then Lance took your face into his hands and leaned closer and you were gone.  
Your hands wrapped around his biceps as his lips crashed onto yours and your back collided into the wall behind you. It was almost feverish; the way he pressed himself to you, his hands wandering to your back to keep you steady, how his lips pressed against yours, how you moved together, how tight you held onto to him and how desperately you both wanted this. Fuck, what was he doing to you?  
When you both finally parted to catch your breath, your hands were in his hair. Just like they always had been when the two of you had made out. Something about that made you blink. You had been here before, hadn’t you?  
“Lance,” you breathed, still trying to come to your senses. “Lance, I think I’m gonna go now.” He pulled away a little to look at you.  
“So soon?”  
“Yeah. It’s been a long evening.”  
He tilted his head and smiled a little. It almost looked smug. “Want me to escort you home?”  
Now it was your turn to smile. Sincerely. “You’re not coming home with me tonight, Lance.”  
Now he squinted. He was confused. He thought he had you. “That kiss told me otherwise.”  
Your smile remained. “Yeah, you’re a good kisser, nobody can deny you of that. But I’m not going down that road again, Lance. Goodnight.”  
And with that you turned around and started walking towards the road to catch a cab. It felt a little cruel, leaving him there alone but this time you knew it was for the best. You really had been there before and you were through with it. Through with him.  
Walking down the sideway, you thought to yourself that you had probably been right after all. Lance had probably just wanted attention. But you were through with giving him that as well.


End file.
